Ep 3. Poem 3: Moonglow Over Yoshino English Dub

As the third episode of Chihayafuru Season 2 opens, we find Chihaya and her team of karuta players on their way to a training camp in the mountains. The mood is lighthearted as they joke and laugh during the bus ride, but tensions quickly rise once they arrive at the campsite.

First, the group is confronted with a strict curfew, which immediately causes anxiety among some of the members. Then, Chihaya discovers that she will not be sleeping in the same room as her close friends Taichi and Nishida, but instead with the girls from the Hokuo Academy team, including her fierce rival Shinobu.

Despite the initial discomfort, the group gets to work, and Chihaya is determined to make the most of her time at the camp. The team is tasked with a new exercise: reciting and analyzing poems. Their coach, Hiroshi Tsuboguchi, explains that understanding the meaning behind classic Japanese poems is essential to becoming a skilled karuta player.

Chihaya, who has always been more focused on the physical aspects of karuta, is initially skeptical of the exercise. However, as she learns more about the poem assigned to her group, "Moonglow Over Yoshino," she begins to see the beauty in the language and imagery.

The episode shifts between scenes of the team practicing and moments of introspection as each character reflects on the poem's meaning. Taichi, for example, seems especially affected by the line "The sound of the water cascading down the rocks" and spends much of the episode staring out at a nearby waterfall.

As the night wears on and the curfew approaches, the characters bond over their shared experience analyzing the poem. In a particularly heartwarming moment, Chihaya offers to recite the poem for the group after one of their members reveals that she struggles with reading kanji characters.

Despite the emotional connection they've made through the exercise, the team is once again at odds the next day when they are pitted against each other in a practice game of karuta. Chihaya's team is defeated, and she is left feeling frustrated and defeated.

The episode ends with Chihaya sitting alone at the edge of a river, overlooking the rushing water. She seems lost in thought, perhaps still considering the meaning of "Moonglow Over Yoshino" or processing the disappointment of the previous day's game. It's clear that she has a long way to go before she can reach her goal of becoming the Queen of karuta, but she remains determined to improve and grow.

Overall, "Poem 3: Moonglow Over Yoshino" is a thoughtful and moving episode that explores the deeper meanings behind the game of karuta. It's an excellent addition to the series and leaves viewers eager to see what challenges and triumphs lie ahead for Chihaya and her team.